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Rabat – Soufiane El Bakkali is leading the Moroccan team of 13 athletes (eight men and five women) as he eyes another gold medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to add to his previous victory at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The 28-year-old athlete is looking to become the second Moroccan to win two Olympic gold medals, following in the footsteps of the legendary Hicham El Guerrouj, who achieved double gold in the 1500m and 5,000m at the 2004 Athens Games.
El Bakkali’s remarkable time of 7:56.68 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, recorded at last year’s Mohammed VI International Athletics Meeting, ranks as the ninth fastest in history, solidifying his status as a top contender in Paris.
Joining El Bakkali on the men’s team are marathon runners Othmane El Goumri, Zouhair Talbi, and Mouhcine Outalha.
El Goumri recently won at the 2023 Sydney Marathon with a time of 2:08:20, while Talbi triumphed in the Houston Marathon earlier this year, clocking in at 2:06:39.
In addition to the marathoners, the Moroccan team boasts talent in middle-distance events. Mohamed Tindouft and El Mostafa Faid will compete alongside El Bakkali in the 3,000m steeplechase.
Read also: El-Bakkali Remains Morocco’s Best Chance of Glory at World Athletics Championships
Anas Essayi will represent Morocco in the 1,500 meters, and Abdelati El Guesse, who recorded his season’s best performance at the Irena Szewinska Meeting in Poland, will take on the 800 meters.
On the women’s side, Morocco will be represented by a strong lineup featuring Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi, Rahma Tahiri, and Kawtar Farkoussi, all of whom will compete in the marathon.
Gardadi in particular is a promising contender after making history by securing Morocco’s first-ever medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Her performance was a highlight of the championships, as she disrupted an otherwise Ethiopian-dominated podium.
Also competing for the women’s team are Noura Ennadi in the 400-meter hurdles and Assia Raziki in the 800 meters, both of whom are eager to make their mark in Paris.
Morocco has won a total of 20 medals at the Olympic Games. These include seven gold medals, five silver medals, and eight bronze medals.
The nation’s gold medalists include Nawal El Moutawakil, who won the 400-meter hurdles, and Said Aouita, who triumphed in the 5,000-meter track, both at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Additional golds were secured by Brahim Boutaib in the 10,000-meter track in 1988, Khalid Skah in the 10,000-meter track in 1992, Hicham El Guerrouj in the 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter tracks in 2004, and Soufiane El Bakkali in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
